Free bus rides a great help to many women

LUCKNOW : Bus passengers thanked chief minister Yogi Adityanath for offering free bus rides on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, calling it a generous move. Passengers said the CM’s decision helped many, especially those belonging to the lower strata of society, reach their brothers to celebrate the festival.

“It’s nice on Yogiji’s part. His decision really helped many,” said Preeti Kushwaha, a resident of Gomti Nagar, who was travelling to Kanpur to see her brother on Raksha Bandhan.

Sharma said this was the first time she was availing any such service, so she found herself among the special ones. “It was altogether a different experience to see a bus conductor exempting female passengers and charging others,” she said.

A few bus passengers said there were many who could not afford to go to their brothers due to the travelling cost. “But the Yogi government made things easier for such people,” another female bus passenger said.

The chief mnister had directed the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) to not charge a single penny from women heading anywhere within the state. Officials said the special service started from Sunday midnight and was to last till Monday midnight of.

There are around 10,785 buses in the state, including general buses, AC and super luxury buses like Volvo and Scania. In the state capital, the service was available on all 1095 UPSRTC buses.

The city buses too offered free bus service to female passengers. If senior UPSRTC officers are to be believed, this is for the second time that free bus services have been offered to women on Raksha Bandhan. The first time was in 2008.